Union County, Ohio Biographies Project - Stephenson Curry
STEPHENSON CURRY
Stephenson
Curry was born December 3, 1801, and was a life long farmer of Jerome
Township. He married Sarah D. Robinson, daughter of James
Robinson, of Darby, and had eight children. He took little part
in public affairs, preferring the quiet of books and domestic
life. His death occurred April 2, 1861.
STEPHENSON CURRY
Stephenson Curry was born on the site of Greenfield, Highland County,
Ohio, December 3, 1801. He was a son of Col. James Curry, well known as
one of the earliest<>pioneers of Union County. Mr. Curry
emigrated to Jerome Township, with his parents, in 1811, when but ten
years of age, and settled in the unbroken wilderness, which was thickly
infested with Indians and native animals. Here he passed his
early life and received his education, which was limited to the schools
held in log cabins. During the war of 1812, there was scarcely an
able-bodied man left in the settlements along Darby and Sugar Run, and
their families were in great danger and in constant fear of being
massacred by the Indians. In 1812-13, Stephenson's father, Col.
Curry, was called to Delaware, to assist in organizing a regiment
of-soldiers, leaving him and his brother Otway with Mrs. Curry, hemmed
in by the woods, and with no neighbors nearer than John Kent and
family, who resided a mile and a half away. One day, during Col.
Curry's absence, the horses were attacked by the wolves, and stampeded
with such a noise as to make Mrs. Curry believe the Indians were going
to attack their home. Young Stephenson, then but a boy of eleven
years, but with the coolness of an old backwoodsman, took down the two
rifles, and, loading one, placed his younger brother Otway as a
sentinel at the fence, in rear of the cabin, and while he attempted to
load the other, the charge became fastened in the barrel. The two
boys stood on guard for some time, ready to meet the invasion of the
red skins. When night came on, they, with their mother, went to
John Kent's house and spent the night. The next morning, on tapir
return with some of the neighbors, they found that the wolves had
attacked the horses, badly injuring one of them, but that no Indians,
or traces of them were to be found. One of t he old, flint-look
rifles used on this occasion is still in possession of the
family. Mr. Curry spent his early life and manhood in clearing up
the old homestead, and remained on a part of it till his death.
November 18, 1830, he was married to Miss Sarah D. Robinson, daughter
of James and Jane (Morrison) Robinson. Mrs. Curry was born in
Darby Township, April 14, 1806. In their married life they were
blessed with eight children, viz.: Louisa, widow of William Thompson;
Jane, wife of Taber Randall; Otway, William L., James, Mary, wife of
Andrew Gill; John W., and an infant son, deceased. Mr. and Mrs.
Curry were members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Curry united
himself with that body about 1835-36, and Mrs. C. 1824-25, of which she
was a devoted and consistent member for fifty years. Mr. Curry
was a Ruling Elder for over twenty five years, and was an active member
till his death, which occurred April 2, 1861. Mrs. Curry survived
him till November 11, 1881. For half a century Mr. Curry guided
the plowshare and wielded the ax in clearing up the forest. Born
and bred a hardy pioneer of the West, trained to the use of the trusty
rifle, yet amid all these difficulties and hardships, he found time for
study and meditation. He possessed a mind richly stored with
knowledge, which he was ever free to impart to all, and many were the
stories of his adventures and experiences he was wont to relate, around
the old family fireside. He was a man over six feet in height,
straight as an Indian, and of great strength and activity, and,
perhaps, did as much hard work as any other man in the county in his
day. As a friend, Mr. Curry was warm and steadfast, ever ready to
espouse the cause of the weak, and, in his church associations, was
beloved and esteemed for his forbearance and piety. In politics,
he was a Whig until the breaking up of the old Whig party, and
afterward he was a Democrat.
** The 1883 Beer's HISTORY OF UNION
COUNTY gives two accounts for Stephenson Curry.